Man sentenced to 40 years for voluntary manslaughter of his uncle

April 24, 2007|Tribune Staff Report

SOUTH BEND - A South Bend man who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter was sentenced today to 40 years in prison. Leonard Thomas, 47, pleaded guilty in March to the 2005 shooting death of Milton Brown Sr., 55. Brown was shot once in an alley near the 1600 block of North OÂ?Brien Street.

Brown was ThomasÂ? uncle.

During ThomasÂ? sentencing hearing today, family members told a judge that Thomas once cared for Brown and that it was out of character for Thomas to have acted violently against his uncle.

According to a plea agreement, the prosecution would ask for a sentence of no more than 45 years.

Judge Jerome Frese cited ThomasÂ? long criminal record before imposing the sentence.